Jar cap wrench



April 11, '1950 F. R. CHESTER v 2,503,471

JAR CAP WRENCH Filed July 21, 1945 5' INVENTOR.

Patented Apr. 11, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JAR CAP WRENCH Frank R. Chester, Santa Monica, Calif.

Application July 21, 1945, Serial No. 606,315

4 Claims.

My present invention relates to an opener for opening cans and for removing caps and lids from bottles, jars, and other containers.

One of the principal objects of this invention is to provide an opener for effectively and easily removing caps and lids from bottles, jars, and other containers, and also an opener of this class whereby only a predetermined clamping or gripping force may be applied to the cap or lid so as not to injure the same nor the container from which it is removed.

Another important objector this invention is to provide novel and simple means to permit yielding of the clamp or gripping jaws to prevent such injury to the caps, lids, or containers.

An important obj ect also of this invention is to provide novel and simple means for moving the movable jaw towards the fixed jaw, and novel and, simple means for automatically advancing the movable jaw as the movable jaw operating lever is repeatedly depressed.

A further important object of this invention is to provide an opener of this class which may be easily and economically fabricated from pressed metal.

A still further important object of this invention is to provide a novel, efficient, and safe can opener.

Still another important object of this invention is to provide an opener of this class in which the lid opening portion of my device is locked in inoperative position while the can opener is in use.

An important object also of this invention is the provision of a combined can and lid opener in which the lid opener has a large jaw which permits a blow to be struck with the hand or fist to provide the necessary force to puncture a can with the can puncturing portion of the can opener.

With these and other objects in view, as will appear hereinafter, I have devised a can and jar lid opener, having certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement, as will be hereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims, references being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference thereon, which form a part of this application, in which:

Fig/1 is a side elevation of my opener in position for opening cans and showing a portion thereof within the can in the process of opening the same;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view taken at right 2 angles of Fig. 1, and also showing the same in relation to the can;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side view of my opener in the process of removing a lid from a jar, certain portions of the opener being shown by dotted lines in the immediately preceding stage before clamping the lid;

Figs. 4 and. 5 are fragmentary sectional views thereof, taken respectively through 4-4 and 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view thereof taken through 6-6 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary side elevation showing a modified form of the jaws.

The shank I of my opener has at one end a can opener A and at the opposite end a cap or lid opener B.

The end of the shank having the can opener is bifurcated providing furcations 2 and 3, the former providing the cutting means and the latter the guide means. The furcation 2 providing the cutting means is flat and is substantially of U-shape. The end of one leg 2 of this U-shaped furcation is directly connected to the end I of the shank. The inner edge l of this leg, that is, the edge opposite the other leg 2, is sharpened and provides the cutting edge for the can opening portion A. The can opening portion A has a pivot 2 about which the opener, and particularly the cutting edge 2 may be rocked for cutting the can. This pivot is provided at the end of the leg 2, and at the portion of such end nearest the leg 2 In order to open or puncture a can, the end of the leg 2 is provided with a pointed or sharpened portion 2 When the can is thus punctured or perforated, the leg 2 is thrust into the can with the pivot 2 against the under side of the top or lid, and the shank is rocked about the pivot, continuously forcing the sharp edge 2 downwardly or into the top C of the can. Such cutting of the top of the can forces the rough or cut edge inwardly.

The end 2 of the leg 2* extends a considerable distance beyond the perforating point 2 thereby partially guarding or protecting the same.

The other furcation 3 of the can opener portion A consists substantially of a flat finger which extends alongside but is spaced from the furcation 2. Thus, the cutting portion 2 is guided along the edge of the can top C.

The shank l is of U-shaped cross-section, as shown best in Figs. 4, 5 and 6. However, the end of the opener having the can opening portion may be narrowed, as shown. The opposite end of the shank may be flared to provide a concave or recessed jaw 4, that is, a jaw having jaw portions 4 positioned on the inner side and at an angle relative to each other.

It will be here noted that the enlarged jaw 4 provides effective means which may be struck with the hand or fist to drive the puncturing portion 2 into the can top or lid.

On the. shank l is. reciprocally mounted.-a -slide which is also of U-shaped cross-section, as shown best in Fig. 4. The cross-portion or web 5 and the flanges 5 of the slide fit respectively over the cross-portion or web l of the shank and the flanges I thereof. At the forward endof the slide 5 is a jaw portion 5, which may be provided at the front ends of the flanges 5 and which is positioned opposite and cooperates-with the jaw '4. At the forward portions of thafianges 5 of the slide are pivotally mounted portions '6 of a lever B. This leveris also of U-shaped crosssection and is bifurcated at its forward "end forming iurcations 6 These furcations are bowed into a U-shape, that is,.the furcations. are bent downwardly and backwardly and provide resilientportions forthe lever. The pivot portions (l -are formed at the backwardly turned portions of the bowed furcations.

A pawllis pivotally mounted at its forwardend between the flanges of the lever B, and the free end of thepawl extends toward the free endof the lever. The cross-portion or web l oflthe shank I is.provided with a plurality of transversely positioned but longitudinally spaced notches, in the form of slots I into whichthe free end of "thepawl l is adaptedto extend, the end of the pawl being slightly bent inwardly to facilitate the free end of the pawlentering'the notches. The construction. issuch that when-the slide 5 is stationary and thefreeend ofthelever G'is raisedabout itspivot portions 6*, the end of the pawl rides upon thecrosseportionl of the shank I and when the .free endof theleveris depressed, the end of thepawlmay enter one-oi the notches l forcing the slide '5-to .be, advanced toward thejaw-4. Astheleven-G is againraised, the pawl 1 may be removed fromthe-notchinto which it extends and may be advanced toward the next notch. When .the leverQB is again depressed, the slide'5 is advanced further toward the fixed jaw 4.

In order to limitth tilting. or-dropping of the free end of the pawl and facilitate the removal of the free end thereof from the.notch inwhich'it is positioned, thepawl'is-provided'at its pivotal portion with a tongue T whichcauses-thepawl 1 to be withdrawn from thenotch of the shank I when the tongueor lug engages the-underside of the lever B.

The lever B is so mountedthatitmaybe contracted directly or flat against the slide and-the shank l, as shown in.Fig. 1. This-is theposition of the lever 6 when using the .devicenas acan opener.

The lever B is latched or lockedagainst the slide 5'and shank I when thedevice is used asa can opener. In suchevent it is alsopre'ierably shifted towards th opposite end, that is,.away from the can opening portionjA. 'Suchlatching or locking meansmay be provided by. an indentation I in one or both fianges .o-f theshank, and an indentation 6 at the end of one orboth flanges of the lever'6. Thisprovision permits thefree end of 'thelever to be snapped temporarilyin a folded'position.

'In Fig. '7 of'the drawings, I have shown a slightly modified form of the fixed and movable jaws, which are herein designated as H and 12. Here the jaws themselves are resilient so that they may yield when embracing a cap or lid of a container to prevent excessive gripping force and thereby prevent injury to the cap, lid, or container.

Though I have shown and described a particu- .lar.construction, combination, and arrangement ofparts and portions and a certain modification thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the same,

but desire to include in the scope of my invention,

the construction, combination, and arrangement,

"substantially as set forth in the appended claims.

I..claim:

1. In a jar cap wrench, a shank having a fixed jaw at one end, a slide on the shank having a jaw portion opposed to the jaw of the shank, a lever pivotally mounted on the slide, a pawl pivotally mounted on the lever, said shank having longitudinally spaced'notches for receiving the end of the pawl, contraction of the free end of the lever toward the shank causing said slide to move towards'said jaw by reason of the force exerted by the pawl at its point of engagement with said shank, resilient means in'association'with the jaw and'j aw portion to permit the-same to yield relative to eachother as said'lever'is drawn toward the shank.

2. In a jar cap wrench, a shank having a flxed jaw at one end, .a slide on.the shank having a jaw portionopposed to the jawof the. shank, a lever pivotally mounted on the slide, a pawl pivotally mounted'on the lever, said shank having longitudinally spacedjnotchesfor receiving the end of thepawl, contraction of the free end of the lever toward'the shank causing said slideto move towards said jaw .by reason of the force exerted by'the'pawl at its point ofengagement with said shanlqthere being provided a yieldable connection between the lever'and its pivotal mounting on the slideto permit the jaw and jaw portion to'yield relative to each other when the lever is drawn toward the shank.

3. In a jar cap wrench,.a shank having a fixed jaw at one end, a slideon the shank having a jaw portion opposed to the jaw of the shank, a lever pivotally connected at one end to the slide, a pawl pivotally mounted on the lever, said shank having longitudinallyspaced. notches for receivingtheend oithe pawl, contractionof the free end of thelever toward the shank causing said slide to move towards said jaw by reason of the force'exerted by the pawl atits' point of engagement with said'shanksaid end of the lever having a; backwardly bent-resilient U-shaped portion, the backwardly bent end thereof being pivotally connected to the'slide.

4. In a jar cap-wrench, a shank of U-shaped cross-section and provided with a jaw at one end, a U-shaped slide mounted with'its web over the web of the-shank'and withits flanges straddling the flanges of the shank, the slide having a jaw portion opposed to thejaw of the'shank, a lever havinga bifurcated end pivotally mounted with its furcations on the flanges ofsaid slide, and a pawl pivotally mounted between the flanges of the lever, the web of said shank having longitudinally spacednotches for receiving the free 'end of the pawl, theifurcations of i the lever havingiorwardly bowed resilientportions, theends thereof being pivotally connectedto the slide.

FRANK R. CHESTER.

(References on following page) Number Name I Date REFERENCES CITED 1,356,651 Murmann Oct. 26, 1920 The following references are of record 1n the 1,394,033 McLeod et a] Oct. 18 1921 file of @1118 pawn 1,997,399 Harris Jan. 6, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 2,236,342 Marsella. et a1. Mar. 25, 1941 Number Name Date FOREIGN PATENTS 268,281 Pumphrey Nov. 28, 1882 Number Country Date 446,545 Blodgett Feb. 7, 1891 24 005 Denmark Jan 27 1919 1 Mork 1894 lo 318603 German b 1920 956,924 Ator May 3, 1910 Y 1,166,669 Murdick et a1. Jan. 18, 1916 223,792 Great Britain 1924 

